RIMC Entrance Exam December 2026 (RIMCEE)
Can my child sit the December 2026 RIMC entrance exam, what are the papers and pass marks, and how are the Dehradun seats filled?
RIMCEE is the entrance test for Class VIII at the Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun, a boarding school that prepares cadets for the National Defence Academy. The December 2026 exam, run by the National Testing Agency for RIMC, fills the term that starts in July 2027, for boys and girls. From this cycle RIMC has moved the age band from 11½-13 to 12½-14 years: the child must be born between 2 July 2013 and 1 January 2015, both days included, and be studying in Class VII or have passed it. The written test on 6 December 2026 has English, General Knowledge and Mathematics papers, and the child needs 50% in each, then a pass in the viva voce and a medical. This page follows the RIMCEE-2026 Information Bulletin of 1 September 2026.
This page may be out of date. It was due for a re-check on 31 July 2027. Confirm every rule with the official source before acting on it.
Applications closed on 7 October 2026. The written exam is on 6 December 2026 and the Stage-I result is due by 20 February 2027.
Exam at a glance
- Conducted by
- National Testing Agency runs the written test; RIMC Dehradun runs the viva voce, medical and admission[1]
- Admits to
- Class VIII only, July 2027 term, boys and girls[1]
- Age
- 12½ to 14 years on 1 July 2027: born 2 July 2013 to 1 January 2015, both days included[1]
- Class
- Studying in Class VII, or passed Class VII, at the time of admission[1]
- Applications
- Closed: 1 to 30 September 2026, late fee to 7 October 2026, corrections 9 to 11 October 2026[5]
- Written exam
- 6 December 2026 (Sunday), 4 hours 30 minutes across three papers[6]
- Admit card
- 5 to 7 days before the exam; exam city slip 12 to 15 days before[1]
- Marking
- No negative marking; papers in English and Hindi except the English paper[1]
- Results
- Stage-I result by 20 February 2027; viva voce tentatively April 2027[1]
- Seats
- Tentatively 25 for boys and 10 for girls per term[1]
This check runs in your browser and sends nothing anywhere. It applies paragraphs 4.1 and 5 of Chapter 3, Chapter 4 and Chapter 7 of the RIMCEE-2026 Information Bulletin (1 September 2026), checked 22 October 2026. Later cycles are our arithmetic under the same rule, not printed dates. It does not tell you your child's chances.
How the 400 written marks split
RIMCEE December 2026: from the exam to a seat
| Stage and paper | Type | Marks | Questions and time | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written: English | Descriptive, pen and paper | 125 marks | 45 questions, 2 hours | 50% (62.5 marks) |
| Written: General Knowledge | Objective (multiple choice) | 75 marks | 75 questions, 1 hour | 50% (37.5 marks) |
| Written: Mathematics | Descriptive, pen and paper | 200 marks | 30 questions, 1 hour 30 minutes | 50% (100 marks) |
| Written: total | Three papers | 400 marks | 150 questions, 4 hours 30 minutes | Each paper on its own |
| Viva voce (Stage-II) | Interview by a board set up by the state government | 50 marks | Not printed | 50% (25 marks) |
| Medical (Stage-III) | Military hospital medical board | Fit or unfit | Not printed | Must be fit |
The bulletin prints the pass mark as 50% of each subject's total; the marks in brackets are that 50% worked out. There is no negative marking.[1]
| Exam | Admission term | Age counted on | Born (both days included) |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 2026 | July 2027 | 1 July 2027 | 2 July 2013 to 1 January 2015 (printed in the bulletin) |
| June 2027 | January 2028 | 1 January 2028 | 2 January 2014 to 1 July 2015 (our arithmetic) |
| December 2027 | July 2028 | 1 July 2028 | 2 July 2014 to 1 January 2016 (our arithmetic) |
Only the first row is printed. The other two apply the bulletin's general rule (para 4.1(iv) and (v)) the way the printed range does; each cycle's own bulletin decides. Until this cycle the band was 11½ to 13 years.[1]
| Item | General | SC/ST |
|---|---|---|
| Fees and cadet's own expenses for a year | Rs 98,650 a year | Rs 81,850 a year |
| Security deposit, paid once in the first term, refunded when the cadet graduates | Rs 50,000 once | Rs 50,000 once |
| First-year total | Rs 1,48,650 | Rs 1,31,850 |
Most of the gap is tuition: Rs 22,400 a year for General against Rs 5,600 for SC/ST. RIMC says fees may be revised and that several state governments give scholarships. The application fee is a separate, one-time payment to NTA.[3]
The Rashtriya Indian Military College in Dehradun opened on 13 March 1922. It takes children into Class VIII and keeps them for five years, to the CBSE Class XII exam. Its stated job is to feed the National Defence Academy and the Indian Naval Academy.
A place at RIMC does not lead straight to the NDA. After Class XII, cadets still have to clear the UPSC's NDA written exam and the Services Selection Board interview like every other candidate. RIMC says cadets who don't make it into the forces are well placed to join a college, but it asks only families serious about a defence career to apply.
The year has two terms, 17 January to 31 May and 17 July to 30 November, and RIMC admits twice a year. The June exam fills the January term and the December exam fills the July term.[1]
RIMC's flash notice moves the age band from 11½-13 to 12½-14 years, starting with the December 2026 exam for the July 2027 term, and says it is doing so in line with NEP 2020. The class rule stays the same: studying in Class VII or passed it.
The form is now online only, through NTA. RIMC and the state governments no longer hand out application forms. RIMC still sells a booklet of the last seven years' question papers by post, separately from the application.[2]
NTA marks the written papers and declares the Stage-I result by 20 February 2027; RIMC also posts it on its website. Only children who pass the written test are called to the viva voce, which a board set up by the state government holds in the domicile state. The board includes the Chief Secretary or a secretary they nominate, two military officers and the state's Director of Education or another senior education officer. It tests intelligence, personality and communication, and the child needs 25 of the 50 marks.
Children of Central Government employees can sit the written test and viva where the parent is posted, but they still compete for seats in their domicile state, so the form must name it. After the viva, RIMC makes a state-wise list and an All India list, and sends the selected and reserve candidates for a medical at a military hospital. Joining instructions go to the email address on the form.[1]
RIMC has no reservation policy: seats go purely on merit. Boys are ranked within their own state or UT and compete only for that state's pre-allocated seats. RIMC's admissions page says most states get one seat and some larger states more, and that the number can change each year.
Girls are ranked on one All India list, and seats are then filled zone by zone across five zones: Central, West, South, North and East. A girl competes only with girls from her own zone. The bulletin's zone list does not name Sikkim, so families there should ask RIMC which zone applies.[1]
RIMC sets no fixed height, weight or chest measure for a 13-year-old, but the other medical standards match the NDA's. Eyesight must meet the printed visual standard, and LASIK or similar eye surgery is not allowed. The board also checks hearing, the heart and lungs, bones and joints, and the skin, among other things.
The bulletin asks parents who are short or below normal weight to keep in mind that their child may not reach the forces' minimum height and weight later. Any operation to fix a problem has to be done before entry, and RIMC gives no promise that the child will be accepted afterwards.[1]
The syllabus follows CBSE/NCERT Classes VI and VII. Mathematics covers arithmetic, basic algebra, geometry and mensuration: LCM and HCF, fractions and decimals, profit and loss, ratio, percentage, simple interest, time and work, speed and distance, area and perimeter, volume of cubes and cuboids, and simple linear equations in one variable.
English is a written paper: an unseen passage, a poem, a composition, picture writing, a formal or informal letter, and grammar from nouns and tenses to direct and indirect speech. General Knowledge is multiple choice: current affairs, science in daily life, states and capitals, national symbols, monuments, sports, books and authors, and basic awareness of defence ranks, aircraft and warships.[1]
- 7 October 2026: last date with the late fee (closed, no extension)
- About 21 to 24 November 2026: exam city slip (12 to 15 days before the exam)
- About 29 November to 1 December 2026: admit card (5 to 7 days before)
- 6 December 2026: written exam
- By 20 February 2027: Stage-I result
- April 2027 (tentative): viva voce in the domicile state, then the medical
- 17 July 2027: the July term begins
Source[1]
Tips and tricks
- The two written papers, English and Maths, carry 325 of the 400 marks. Practise full answers by hand against the clock: Maths gives about three minutes a question (30 in 90 minutes).[1]
- Don't let a strong Maths paper hide a weak one. A child who scores 180 in Maths but 60 in English fails the written test, because each paper needs 50% on its own.[1]
- General Knowledge has 75 questions in an hour and no negative marking, so answer every one.[1]
- The English paper is only in English; the other two come in English and Hindi. If a Hindi question reads oddly, the English version is the one that counts.[1]
- Keep the birth certificate and the school's studying certificate side by side. Both carry the date of birth, and RIMC checks the originals later.[1]
Questions people ask
What is the age limit for the RIMC exam in December 2026?
The child must be born between 2 July 2013 and 1 January 2015, both days included. That is 12½ to 14 years on 1 July 2027.[1]
Has the RIMC age limit changed?
Yes. From the December 2026 exam the band is 12½ to 14 years. It used to be 11½ to 13.[2]
When is the RIMC entrance exam 2026?
Sunday, 6 December 2026. The three papers add up to 4 hours 30 minutes.[6]
Which class does RIMC admit to?
Class VIII only. At admission the child must be studying in Class VII or have passed it.[1]
Can girls apply to RIMC?
Yes. The bulletin plans about 10 seats for girls per term, filled from an All India merit list zone by zone.[1]
What are the passing marks in RIMCEE?
50% in each paper on its own: 62.5 of 125 in English, 37.5 of 75 in General Knowledge and 100 of 200 in Mathematics. The viva voce needs 25 of 50.[1]
Is there negative marking in the RIMC exam?
No.[1]
Is there reservation in RIMC admission?
No. Boys compete for their own state's seats and girls for their zone's seats, purely on merit. SC and ST candidates pay a lower application fee and lower tuition.[1]
What is the RIMC fee?
Under the fee structure in force since the January 2024 term, the first year comes to Rs 1,48,650 for General and Rs 1,31,850 for SC/ST candidates, including a refundable Rs 50,000 security deposit.[3]
Does RIMC lead straight to the NDA?
No. After Class XII, RIMC cadets still have to pass the UPSC NDA exam and the SSB interview.[1]
Connected pages
- Related · PathwayDefence after Class 12How to become an officer after Class 12 in India: the UPSC NDA and Naval Academy exam, which stream each wing takes, the age window, the SSB and training.
- Related · ExamRMS CET 2026RMS CET 2026 for the Rashtriya Military Schools: Class 6 and 9 birth-date windows, paper pattern, qualifying marks, the 13 Dec test and what comes after.
- Related · CBSE board toolMoving to a CBSE school: board-switch, direct admission and TC rulesCan your child join a CBSE school in Class 9, 10, 11 or 12 from another school or board? The rule for each class, the 31 August date and how the TC is signed.
Official and partner links
- Official bodyRIMCEE on the NTA website
- RelatedRIMC admissions (official website)
Sources
- Information Bulletin RIMCEE-2026 (uploaded 1 September 2026), National Testing Agency for the Rashtriya Indian Military College. Printed pages 2-3 (NTA's role, dates), 4-8 (Chapter 3: terms, age para 4.1, Class VII para 5, schedule, merit list), 9-10 (Chapter 4), 13-14 (touts), 22-25 (Chapter 7), 26-28 (Chapter 8), 36 (Chapter 14). Accessed 22 October 2026.
- Important Update: RIMC Entrance Examination, December 2026 onwards, Rashtriya Indian Military College. Revised age band, online registration, question-paper booklet. Accessed 22 October 2026.
- Fee Structure (w.e.f. January 2024 term), Rashtriya Indian Military College. General and SC/ST columns, grand total. Accessed 22 October 2026.
- Admissions, Rashtriya Indian Military College. Destination, age, vacancies. Accessed 22 October 2026.
- Public Notice: Correction in Particulars of the Online Application Form of RIMCEE-2026 (7 October 2026), National Testing Agency. Correction window 9-11 October 2026; late-fee date 7 October 2026, no extension. Accessed 22 October 2026.
- FAQs for RIMCEE-2026, National Testing Agency. Q6-Q12 (age, class, dates, exam on Sunday 6 December 2026). Accessed 22 October 2026.
Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us through the corrections page. Updated 22 October 2026.